Brandon level crossing reopens after being shut for three hours after lorry collided with barrier

Engineers checking the level crossing after carrying out repairs after it was struck by a skip lorry.

Archant

A level crossing at Brandon was closed to traffic for more than three hours this afternoon, while trains were also delayed, after a lorry collided with the barrier.

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The 44 tonne Scania skip loader hit the barrier at the unmanned crossing in Bridge Street after witnesses reported problems with the barrier, saying it had risen up and down several times in quick succession prior to the accident.

Traffic was brought to a standstill after the incident at 3.38pm, with local diversions being set up and the level crossing was not reopened until 7.05pm.

A Network Rail spokesman said there were delays of 10-15 minutes on a couple of services, adding: “Overall, it was not particularly disruptive in terms of train service and certainly from tea time things had been running from normal.”

He said: “It is not unknown for drivers to drive into barriers if they think they can get across before the barriers come down.”

Insp Mike Hinshelwood, of Suffolk Police, said six police cars from Norfolk and Suffolk were called to the incident, which he said was particularly disruptive for staff returning home from RAF Lakenheath.

He said the lorry was likely to have been moving at a low speed when the collision took place.

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1 comment

British rail? Didn't that company get broken up, sold off, resulting in a nightmare for travelers, quite a few years ago! I'm sure it's now rail track that look after (appreciated there is room for an argument here) the track and barriers etc.